Medicare Enrolled
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Dr. Robert Forster, MD
Orthopedic Surgery · Port St Lucie, FL
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Very High
DATA COVERAGE
Data in 4 of 4 federal sources
Measures public federal data availability — not provider quality
Informational, not a quality rating.
This page presents federal public records about Dr. Forster from CMS (NPPES, Open Payments, Medicare Provider Utilization, PECOS). It is not medical advice, an endorsement, or a judgment of clinical quality. Always consult the provider directly and a licensed clinician for medical decisions. Read methodology →
Are you Dr. Forster?
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What this data tells you about Dr. Forster
Dr. Robert Forster is an orthopedic surgery specialist in Port St Lucie, FL, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Forster performed 3,979 Medicare services in 2023. These records do not provide a deduplicated patient total.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Forster received a total of $2,584 from 19 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 68 payment records. A record can group multiple payments. These transfers are publicly reported through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their effect on care. A reliable breakdown by payment category is not available in this snapshot. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Forster is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
✓ 20 years of NPI registration
▲ Top 21% volume in FL
$2,584 industry payments
Florida License Status
FL DOH · MQA1
Active license
Yes
Board action on record
0
Recent admin complaints
| Profession | License # | Status | Expires | Board Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Doctor | 73783 | Clear | January 31, 2027 | ⚠ |
Data from Florida Department of Health Medical Quality Assurance.
License records are public under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes.
Verify directly on FL DOH →
Medicare Practice Summary — 2023
Medicare Utilization ↗3,979
Medicare services
Top 21% in FL for orthopedic surgery
Not available
Unique patients (not deduplicated)
$75
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
Top procedures by volume
Ranked by number of services performed for Medicare patients. Avg. submitted charge is what the provider billed; avg. Medicare payment is what CMS paid.
| Procedure | Volume | Avg. paid | Avg. submitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Betamethasone steroid injection An injection containing a combination of betamethasone acetate and betamethasone sodium phosphate. |
794 | $5 | $17 |
| Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) A follow-up office visit for an existing patient lasting between 30 and 39 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
486 | $94 | $275 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 45 and 59 minutes. This code covers the total time spent by the physician or qualified healthcare professional on the date of the encounter. |
330 | $123 | $355 |
| Tendon or ligament injection A procedure involving the injection of medication into a tendon or ligament. |
301 | $40 | $135 |
| Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting between 20 and 29 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
234 | $64 | $195 |
| Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
189 | $42 | $120 |
| X-ray of hand, minimum of 3 views An X-ray imaging test of the hand that captures at least three different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
181 | $29 | $120 |
| Wrist X-ray, minimum 3 views An imaging test using X-rays to capture at least three different angles of the wrist bones and joints. |
158 | $29 | $72 |
| X-ray of finger, minimum of 2 views An X-ray imaging test of a finger using at least two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
150 | $29 | $85 |
| Joint fluid aspiration or injection, small joint Removal of fluid from a small joint or injection of medication into a small joint. |
146 | $32 | $120 |
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range. |
127 | $82 | $240 |
| Endoscopic release of wrist ligament A minimally invasive procedure using a small camera to cut and release ligaments in the wrist. |
124 | $412 | $1,409 |
| Incision of finger tendon sheath A surgical procedure to cut open the protective covering of a finger tendon. |
114 | $202 | $1,250 |
| Joint fluid aspiration or injection, medium joint Removal of fluid from a medium-sized joint or injection of medication into the joint space. |
112 | $38 | $150 |
| Wrist X-ray, 2 views An X-ray imaging test of the wrist using two different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
79 | $25 | $66 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
77 | $48 | $152 |
| Shoulder X-ray, 2+ views An X-ray imaging test of the shoulder joint using at least two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
66 | $27 | $111 |
| New patient office visit, 15-29 minutes An initial office visit for a new patient lasting 15 to 29 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter meets this duration threshold. |
43 | $54 | $165 |
| MRI of arm joint, without contrast An MRI scan uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed images of the arm joint. This specific procedure is performed without the use of a contrast dye. |
36 | $154 | $1,448 |
| Elbow X-ray, minimum 3 views An X-ray imaging test of the elbow joint that captures at least three different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
28 | $25 | $107 |
| Adult short arm fiberglass cast supplies Materials used to apply a short arm cast made of fiberglass for patients aged 11 and older. |
25 | $18 | $85 |
| Tendon relocation of forearm or wrist A surgical procedure to reposition a tendon in the forearm or wrist to restore proper function or alignment. |
24 | $288 | $2,050 |
| Finger joint incision for drainage or foreign body removal A surgical procedure involving an incision into a finger joint to explore the area, drain fluid, or remove a foreign object. |
22 | $336 | $1,041 |
| X-ray of upper spine, 6 or more views An X-ray imaging test of the upper spine using six or more separate views to capture detailed images of the bones and structures in that area. |
21 | $46 | $190 |
| Wrist to finger joint removal Surgical removal of the bones forming the joints between the wrist and the fingers. |
19 | $712 | $3,369 |
| Aspiration or injection of tendon cyst This procedure involves draining fluid from a cyst on a tendon or injecting medication into it. |
17 | $50 | $138 |
| Wrist tendon sheath incision A surgical procedure to cut open the covering of the tendons on the top of the wrist. |
17 | $268 | $1,307 |
| Elbow nerve release or relocation A surgical procedure to free or reposition a nerve in the elbow area. This is done to relieve pressure or irritation on the nerve. |
17 | $500 | $2,640 |
| Elbow to finger cast application Application of a cast extending from the elbow to the fingers to immobilize the arm. |
16 | $66 | $206 |
| Injection of carpal tunnel | 14 | $72 | $198 |
| Closed treatment of broken forearm bone at wrist without manipulation This procedure involves setting a broken forearm bone near the wrist without moving the bone fragments out of place. It is performed without manipulation to align the fracture. |
12 | $289 | $898 |
How to read this data: This reflects Medicare patients only (typically 65+). Payment amounts are what Medicare paid the provider, not your out-of-pocket cost. These counts do not measure clinical quality or years of experience.
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$2,584
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $369/year across 7 years
Bottom 35% in FL for orthopedic surgery
19
Companies
68
Payment records
Payments are publicly reported; disclosure does not establish legality · Not evidence of wrongdoing · How to interpret →
Payment categories are unavailable while the source breakdown is being rebuilt. Company and year totals do not identify how much belongs to each category.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$149
2023
$184
2022
$101
2021
$117
2020
$234
2019
$301
2018
$1,497
Payments by company (2024)
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$100
Nevro Corp.
$28
Endo USA, Inc.
$21
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$1,554
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$321
Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.
$119
Smith & Nephew, Inc.
$93
ACUMED LLC
$80
Abbott Laboratories
$71
Bioventus LLC
$54
FIDIA PHARMA USA INC.
$41
DJO, LLC
$36
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$32
AXOGEN
$30
Nevro Corp.
$28
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
$28
Orthofix Medical, Inc.
$21
Endo USA, Inc.
$21
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$16
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$13
Biocomposites Inc
$12
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
$12
Top 3 companies account for 77.2% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AVANCE NERVE GRAFT · CMF OL1000 · Durolane · Dyonics Bonecutter · EBI Bone Healing System · EXPAREL · Hand Fracture System · Hymovis · KRYSTEXXA · MONOVISC · ORTHOVISC · Octrode SCS Leads · Physio-Stim Osteogenesis Stimulator · Proclaim Family of SCS IPGs · RAYOS · SYNVISC-ONE · Senza · Spinal Pak 2 · Stimulan · Supartz · Turalio · XIAFLEX · Zilretta
Should you be concerned? Industry payments are disclosed through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their purpose, legality, or effect on care. What matters is whether a recommended drug or device appears in your doctor's payment records. If so, consider asking your doctor about it. How to interpret this data →
Geographic Context
Orthopedic surgeons in nearby ZIP areas
53
County median income
$69,027
Nearest hospital to ZIP centroid (approximate)
ST LUCIE MEDICAL CENTER
0.0 mi
0.0 mi
Data Sources
| Provider Registry | ✓ NPPES | NPPES snapshot; verify current record |
| Medicare Enrollment | ✓ PECOS | PECOS snapshot |
| Practice Data | ✓ Medicare Util. | Annual (CY lag) |
| Industry Payments | ✓ Open Payments | CY 2024 |
| Disciplinary History | — Not included | N/A |
This provider has data in 4 of 4 available federal datasets, with a Data Coverage level of Very High. This reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Forster is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 21% in FL), with 20 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Forster experienced with betamethasone steroid injection?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Forster performed 794 betamethasone steroid injection services. These records cover Medicare fee-for-service activity, including eligible younger beneficiaries; they do not measure total practice volume or clinical quality.
Does Dr. Forster receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Forster received a total of $2,584 from 19 companies across 68 payment records. A record can group multiple payments. These transfers are publicly disclosed through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their legality or effect on care. Patients may wish to ask their doctor about these relationships, especially if a recommended drug or device appears in the payment records.
How do Dr. Forster's costs compare to other orthopedic surgeons in Port St Lucie?
Dr. Forster's average Medicare payment per service is $75. Note that these figures represent what Medicare pays, not your out-of-pocket cost, which depends on your specific insurance plan and deductible. Procedure-level data above shows both what was submitted and what Medicare paid for each service type.
What does Data Coverage mean?
Data Coverage (currently Very High for Dr. Forster) measures how much public federal data is available about a provider. It is not a quality rating. A "Very High" or "High" level means the provider has data across multiple federal sources (NPPES, PECOS, Medicare Utilization, Open Payments), indicating the presence of registry, enrollment, activity or payment records, not verified experience or clinical quality. A "Low" or "Moderate" level may simply mean the provider is newer, does not see Medicare patients, or has not received any industry payments — none of which are inherently negative. Read our full methodology →
Is this data up to date?
Source publication dates and the snapshots loaded on this site can differ. Rebuilding a page does not refresh its source records. Check the Medicare reporting year and the payment interval shown above; consult the linked official sources for newer releases and current registry details. See our data freshness policy →
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About this page
This page combines public CMS records with calculated summaries and explanatory procedure labels. These transformations are not verbatim federal records. Sources: NPPES ↗, Open Payments ↗, Medicare Provider Utilization ↗, and PECOS. Publication is mandated by the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (§6002 ACA, 42 U.S.C. §1320a-7h) and the Freedom of Information Act.
This page is not medical advice, an endorsement, a recommendation, or a quality rating. Data Coverage reflects data completeness — how much federal information exists for this provider — not clinical performance, patient outcomes, or quality of care. Always verify information directly with the provider and consult a licensed clinician before making medical decisions.
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